Protective toe sleeve for use during aquatic activity

ABSTRACT

A protective sleeve for a swimmer&#39;s hallux toe, commonly known as the great toe, is smaller in diameter than the toe for which it is intended, and is intended to stretch around the great toe, ensuring a tight fit. The protective sleeve would have a gripping surface on its lower surface, to provide additional friction when the user is walking on wet, slick floor surfaces. The device would preferably be composed of durable, non-rigid, flexible material such as latex, silicon, rubber, or other elastic, durable material. Multiple sizes are contemplated for users having differently sized great toes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/157,616, filed on Jan. 17, 2014, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61753896, filed Jan. 17, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to protective sleeves for human extremities, and in particular to a protective sleeve for a swimmer's toe. When swimming, playing water polo, or engaging in other activities in a swimming pool or other body of water, a swimmer risks chafing, scraping or otherwise injuring his or her great toe on the bottom or side surface of the pool, or other body of water, as well as the floor or surface surrounding the pool or other body of water. After the skin has become softened by water, this risk increases. Frequently, the areas around public swimming pools also have wet, slick floor surfaces around the pool, and in locker rooms and showers, creating a risk that the swimmer will slip, fall down, and be injured. Currently the only protective covering available for swimmers' toes are adhesive bandages (Band-Aids). An elastic sleeve that covers the swimmer's great toe on each foot, that will protect the toe during swimming and other aquatic activities, and also provide a gripping surface for better traction while walking, would substantially reduce the risk of injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a protective sleeve for a swimmer's hallux toe, commonly known as the great toe. The device is smaller in diameter than the toe for which it is intended, and is intended to stretch around the great toe, ensuring a tight fit. The protective sleeve would have a gripping surface on its lower surface, to provide additional friction when the user is walking on wet, slick floor surfaces. The device would preferably be composed of durable, non-rigid, flexible material such as latex, silicon, rubber, or other elastic, durable material. Multiple sizes are contemplated for users having differently sized great toes.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the bottom view of the first exemplary embodiment displaying the protective sleeve 10, the gripping surface 11, the proximal end 14, and the distal end 15.

FIG. 2 shows the cross sectional view of the first exemplary embodiment displaying the protective sleeve 10, the proximal end 14, and the distal end 15.

FIG. 3 shows the top view of the first exemplary embodiment displaying the protective sleeve 10, the great toe 12, the foot 13, the proximal end 14, and the distal end 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to protective sleeve 10 for a swimmer's great toe 12. The device is smaller in diameter than the great toe 12 for which it is intended, and is intended to stretch around the great toe 12, ensuring a tight fit. Multiple sizes are contemplated for wearers having differently sized great toes. The protective sleeve 10 is not only intended for use during swimming or other activities in a swimming pool but also during any activity in which the great toe 12 may become chafed, scraped or otherwise injured. The protective sleeve 10 would have a gripping surface 11 on its lower surface, to provide additional friction when the user is walking on wet, slick surfaces. The first exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings has three ridges on the gripping surface 11. The lower gripping surface 11 is thicker than the upper surface, or the area fitting around the base of the great toe 12. More or fewer ridges, a rough surface, or a pattern of raised bumps are also contemplated for the gripping surface 11.

Preferably, the embodiment comprises a covering for the great toe 12, approximately two inches in length, which protects the toe and provides additional friction, having a short tubular sleeve closed at the distal end 15 and open at the proximal end 14. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the material of the sleeve terminates at the proximal end with no other structure attached thereto. The protective sleeve 10 is narrower at the proximal end 14 than at the distal end 15, and stretches over the user's great toe 12 snugly to ensure continued wear, while preventing water from entering the device. The user would preferably insert the great toe 12 into the proximal end 14 of the device, with the gripping surface 11 at the bottom the great toe 12. The protective sleeve 10 would be made of an elastic, resilient, durable, water impermeable, and water insoluble substance such as latex, silicone, rubber, or similar materials.

Component sizes and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that larger or smaller components, or different materials, could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A toe sleeve comprising: (a) a sleeve; (b) said sleeve being tubular in shape; (c) said sleeve having a distal end and a proximal end; (d) said sleeve being open at said proximal end and not connected to any other structure; (e) said sleeve being closed at said distal end; (f) said sleeve being configured to fit snuggly around a hallux toe of a person; and (g) said sleeve being made of an elastic material.
 2. The toe sleeve of claim 1 further comprising a gripping surface, said gripping surface being applied to the exterior of said sleeve.
 3. A method of using a toe sleeve, the toe sleeve comprising: (a) a sleeve; (b) said sleeve being tubular in shape; (c) said sleeve having a distal end and a proximal end; (d) said sleeve being open at said proximal end and not connected to any other structure; (e) said sleeve being closed at said distal end; (f) said sleeve being configured to fit snuggly around a hallux toe of a person; (g) said sleeve being made of an elastic material; (h) a gripping surface; and (i) said gripping surface being applied to the exterior of said sleeve; The method comprising: (j) a human user stretching said sleeve over his or her hallux toe; (k) said human user positioning said gripping surface such that said gripping surface is positioned under his or her hallux toe; (l) said human user engaging in an aquatic activity; (m) said human user completing said aquatic activity; and (n) said human user removing said sleeve from his or her hallux toe.
 4. The toe sleeve of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is made of latex.
 5. The toe sleeve of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is made of silicone.
 6. The toe sleeve of claim 2 wherein said sleeve is made of latex.
 7. The toe sleeve of claim 2 wherein said sleeve is made of silicone.
 8. The method of using a toe sleeve of claim 3 wherein said sleeve is made of latex.
 9. The method of using a toe sleeve of claim 3 wherein said sleeve is made of silicone. 